Australian Politics General...

[basilio]

The Robo Debet Royal Commission has turned over a number of rocks and the picture that emerges of the Public Service and the Morrison government is ugly.
Big question "What happens next ?"

The Robodebt royal commission is revealing a staggering picture of public service debasement over decades

The government involved in this dreadful Robodebt episode may be gone. How you change the bureaucratic culture that allowed it to happen must be one of the biggest questions arising from the royal commission, writes Laura Tingle.

www.abc.net.au

 

[mullokintyre]

The Robo Debet Royal Commission has turned over a number of rocks and the picture that emerges of the Public Service and the Morrison government is ugly.
Big question "What happens next ?"

The Robodebt royal commission is revealing a staggering picture of public service debasement over decades

The government involved in this dreadful Robodebt episode may be gone. How you change the bureaucratic culture that allowed it to happen must be one of the biggest questions arising from the royal commission, writes Laura Tingle.

www.abc.net.au

Well , Morrison has been sacked.
Now we turn to sacking the entire public service.
mick

 

[sptrawler]

Well , Morrison has been sacked.
Now we turn to sacking the entire public service.
mick

Don't worry, it wont be long before there wont be anyone to blame, oh sorry forgot they are still blaming Howard for the lingering effect of work choices.
Look on the bright side, at least the NDIS and medicare sacred cows are going to get sorted. ?

Hopefully it happens before the lights go out.

 

[IFocus]

The Robo Debet Royal Commission has turned over a number of rocks and the picture that emerges of the Public Service and the Morrison government is ugly.
Big question "What happens next ?"

The Robodebt royal commission is revealing a staggering picture of public service debasement over decades

The government involved in this dreadful Robodebt episode may be gone. How you change the bureaucratic culture that allowed it to happen must be one of the biggest questions arising from the royal commission, writes Laura Tingle.

www.abc.net.au

What happens next, probably not much as shown in this thread running a illegal scheme resulting in destroying lives and push others to suicide apparently not much of a big deal.

No where near as serious as say removing franking credits

 

[sptrawler]

A very recent example, Alice Springs, huge social issues, huge unemployment, insufficient social housing.
Rather than just pouring in more aid, why not employ out of work builders, to take on local kids as apprentices, build new social housing and repair existing?
Too much trouble, much easier to say, "duh, there is no work, so the youth roam the streets and destroy Government housing".
If they had to go to work fixing the houses they destroyed the next day, they may think twice about destroying it in the first place.

It isn't as though Alice Springs is the only place that has the same issues, Katherine, Kununurra, Derby, Wyndham, Carnarvon and probably just about every other outback Town.
Get the councils to re fire up public works departments and employ the indigenous youth, give them skills, give them purpose and maybe give them hope.

It sounds as though I'm not the only one who thinks the Govt is full of $hit, with regard helping the Aboriginals, they are happy enough for making grand broad sweeping statements from their pulpits, but sadly lacking when it actually means they have to come up with solutions.

Jeez 14 years ago, Rudd gave an apology, now 14 years later we are going to give them a voice, how about instead of importing 200,000 workers, we give them a job and a future?

Oh no can't do that, that would be measurable, that could be recipe for a minister at Federal and State level being accountable, flck that easier to just bring migrants in and leave the aboriginals on welfare and lost.

This isn't rocket science, but Canberra as usual will make all the right sounds put out their pinky finger while giving themselves a toast, then get back to doing sod all.

Why this doctor says 'politics of alcohol' are clouding root causes of youth crime wave

Emergency doctor Stephen Gourley warns that focusing only on alcohol and not the reasons why people drink — poverty, housing, education and jobs — will not fix the issues plaguing Alice Springs and the rest of the nation.

www.abc.net.au

Dr Gourley said all levels of government "of every flavour" had initiated "well meaning" policies and interventions over successive decades, but none had worked.

He warned that to once again focus only on controlling the scourge of alcohol would "go nowhere".

"We need to move past the politics of alcohol and address the harsh truth of why people drink," he said.
"Race-based solutions and prohibition are not a long-term solution."

Dr Gourley said key areas that must be addressed by all levels of government in order for progress to be made included poverty, housing, education and meaningful employment.

He said it was also important for people to have hope for the future and to feel accepted and valued.

Now is the time to make real change​

Dr Gourley said Alice Springs and the nation were at a turning point

"We have an opportunity. Right now," he said.

"Let's not focus on alcohol. It's there — and everywhere [but] let's look at accepting where we are as a nation and move forward together."

 

[mullokintyre]

According to Radio 2GB Dominic Perrottet has committed one of the unwritten sins of politics, not telling your cabinet colleagues about impending announcements.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet failed to consult the NSW cabinet before signing the “Statement of Intent” to support The Voice at National Cabinet.

Multiple state cabinet ministers have revealed to Chris O’Keefe that “there was never an official cabinet minute, no cabinet decision or debate as to whether the NSW government would formally support the voice to parliament. But Perrottet did it anyway”.

Whether you think the voice is good/bad/indifferent, stomping on the other egos in cabinet will always come back to bite you on the ar$e.
Mick

 

[SirRumpole]

According to Radio 2GB Dominic Perrottet has committed one of the unwritten sins of politics, not telling your cabinet colleagues about impending announcements.

Whether you think the voice is good/bad/indifferent, stomping on the other egos is cabinet will always come back to bite you on the ar$e.
Mick

Just ask Tony Abbott and his "captain's pick" of knights and dames etc.

 

[sptrawler]

What happens next, probably not much as shown in this thread running a illegal scheme resulting in destroying lives and push others to suicide apparently not much of a big deal.

No where near as serious as say removing franking credits

Again as usual, people take what they want out of an issue to paint the reality they want to present.

The reality IMO is that the robo debt fiasco is a result of our headlong drive, to automate everything, through the use of technology.
To believe that the push wont continue is naive and a similar situation may and probably will occur again, as welfare payments become more and more prevalent and are processed through AI automation.

The franking credit fiasco was driven by sector of industry, that would benefit by the removing the franking credits from a section of the community, thus forcing that community group into paying extra management fees if they wished to keep their franking credits.

There isn't a lot of difference really, theft is theft, no matter how much lipstick you put on it.
It is just one was driven for Govt gain, the other was being driven for personal gain IMO and both got exactly what they deserved. Again these are only my perceptions and I'm not accusing anyone of anything.

To think either issue has gone away, would also be a mistake.

MyGov app facing overhaul to centralise online identification

Audit review of government tool housing Medicare and Centrelink services recommends significant changes

www.theguardian.com

New myGov app to be platform for public and private services

The new myGov mobile app creates a platform for an ambitious plan to offer a single digital location to manage identity and access government and private sector services.

www.afr.com

MyGov to get $200m upgrade in digital services overhaul

Digital services will get a $1.2 billion overhaul in next week’s budget which will include improvements to myGov and the My Health Record systems.

www.smh.com.au

Digital services will get a $1.2 billion overhaul in a budget plan to expand government services online, fund research into artificial intelligence and fund new skills programs.
The digital economy package is another escalation in spending on new technologies six months after a $1 billion outlay in the budget last October.

 

[sptrawler]

This article nails the underlying problem with robo debt IMO and it is an ABC report so should pass the ASF pub test.
It is well worth a read and shows how little respect some politicians have, for the responsibility their position holds, maybe it is like a lot of professions now, where it is maximum money for minimum care or effort.
The part that highlights the underlying issue for me, is this extract, posted below.
Ministers come and go, underlying culture in the public service is very difficult to change and effects both sides of politics.

The Robodebt royal commission is revealing a staggering picture of public service debasement over decades

The government involved in this dreadful Robodebt episode may be gone. How you change the bureaucratic culture that allowed it to happen must be one of the biggest questions arising from the royal commission, writes Laura Tingle.

www.abc.net.au

Whatever the failings of ministers, the royal commission has revealed the most staggering and blatant picture of how the public service has been debased over the past 30 or 40 years into an institution driven by a "can do" culture determined to deliver to the demands of government, even to the point where it is delivering things that aren't actually legal.
What's more, it has revealed departments engaging in an industrial-scale cover up of unlawful revenue raising, including a deliberate policy of not challenging adverse tribunal rulings in order to keep the Robodebt scheme out of courts where its legality might be challenged.

It is a culture where in a massive government department, a secretary and deputy secretary can insist on a process in which any statement released by the department has to be signed off at the most senior levels, yet can attend a conference where a speaker asserts that a multi-billion dollar program they are running is unlawful, and don't bother to chase up the details.

It is a culture where government departments run huge media divisions which work hand in glove with ministers' offices to deliver false information and "counter narratives" about government programs.

 

[SirRumpole]

This article nails the underlying problem with robo debt IMO and it is an ABC report so should pass the ASF pub test.
It is well worth a read and shows how little respect some politicians have, for the responsibility their position holds, maybe it is like a lot of professions now, where it is maximum money for minimum care or effort.
The part that highlights the underlying issue for me, is this extract, posted below.
Ministers come and go, underlying culture in the public service is very difficult to change and effects both sides of politics.

The Robodebt royal commission is revealing a staggering picture of public service debasement over decades

The government involved in this dreadful Robodebt episode may be gone. How you change the bureaucratic culture that allowed it to happen must be one of the biggest questions arising from the royal commission, writes Laura Tingle.

www.abc.net.au

Whatever the failings of ministers, the royal commission has revealed the most staggering and blatant picture of how the public service has been debased over the past 30 or 40 years into an institution driven by a "can do" culture determined to deliver to the demands of government, even to the point where it is delivering things that aren't actually legal.
What's more, it has revealed departments engaging in an industrial-scale cover up of unlawful revenue raising, including a deliberate policy of not challenging adverse tribunal rulings in order to keep the Robodebt scheme out of courts where its legality might be challenged.

It is a culture where in a massive government department, a secretary and deputy secretary can insist on a process in which any statement released by the department has to be signed off at the most senior levels, yet can attend a conference where a speaker asserts that a multi-billion dollar program they are running is unlawful, and don't bother to chase up the details.

It is a culture where government departments run huge media divisions which work hand in glove with ministers' offices to deliver false information and "counter narratives" about government programs.

Well, I guess you can't be too critical of governments that "rearrange the deck chairs" of the public service if they have been infested with the cronies of the former government, eg the AAT ?

 

[sptrawler]

A couple of great example of how Government works. ? ?

 

[mullokintyre]

A couple of great example of how Government works. ? ?

British Humour, so far ahead of the yanks.
mick

 

[wayneL]

British Humour, so far ahead of the yanks.
mick

Used to be, before the woke cancelled comedy.

 

[sptrawler]

Well the Government has done it, they have re introduced the bans on alcohol in Alice Springs, so now the unemployed can sit in the Todd river sober and ponder their plight. Priceless.
Scalpers will have a field day, supplying black market grog.?
Yet again the real issues are sidestepped, just throw money at it and hope it goes away, when in reality it just makes matters worse IMO.
Still no jobs, still no future, still no hope, just more of the same. The really sad part is, the Government knows it.

Alcohol bans to return around Alice Springs, but key funding recommendation not addressed

Take-away alcohol will again be banned in town camps in Alice Springs and remote communities, six months after the Intervention-era restrictions were rolled back.

www.abc.net.au

Alcohol bans will be reinstated in central Australia, preventing the sale of alcohol to Aboriginal people living in town camps and remote communities.
The move was recommended in the snap review of alcohol laws ordered by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in response to a spike in crime and alcohol-fuelled violence.

The NT government had resisted calls to reimpose blanket alcohol bans, which it said were racist and ineffective.

'Biggest social challenge'​

Ms Fyles said she knew there would be people disappointed by the announcement.

"But it does provide a clear pathway, allowing local leadership to come together around this issue and a clearly defined process," she said.
The Commonwealth government will provide an extra $250 million for support services in the region.

Ms Fyles had lobbied the federal government for "needs-based" funding.

"Alcohol-related harm is still the Northern Territory's biggest social challenge," Ms Fyles said.

"No government has done more to address this issue, and we will continue to do so."

 

[SirRumpole]

Well the Government has done it, they have re introduced the bans on alcohol in Alice Springs, so now the unemployed can sit in the Todd river sober and ponder their plight. Priceless.
Scalpers will have a field day, supplying black market grog.?
Yet again the real issues are sidestepped, just throw money at it and hope it goes away, when in reality it just makes matters worse IMO.
Still no jobs, still no future, still no hope, just more of the same.

Alcohol bans to return around Alice Springs, but key funding recommendation not addressed

Take-away alcohol will again be banned in town camps in Alice Springs and remote communities, six months after the Intervention-era restrictions were rolled back.

www.abc.net.au

Alcohol bans will be reinstated in central Australia, preventing the sale of alcohol to Aboriginal people living in town camps and remote communities.
The move was recommended in the snap review of alcohol laws ordered by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in response to a spike in crime and alcohol-fuelled violence.

The NT government had resisted calls to reimpose blanket alcohol bans, which it said were racist and ineffective.

'Biggest social challenge'​

Ms Fyles said she knew there would be people disappointed by the announcement.

"But it does provide a clear pathway, allowing local leadership to come together around this issue and a clearly defined process," she said.
The Commonwealth government will provide an extra $250 million for support services in the region.

Ms Fyles had lobbied the federal government for "needs-based" funding.

"Alcohol-related harm is still the Northern Territory's biggest social challenge," Ms Fyles said.

"No government has done more to address this issue, and we will continue to do so."

We will see if robberies of grog shops increase.

 

[sptrawler]

We will see if robberies of grog shops increase.

Yes and white trash exploiting the aboriginals by selling them grog at stupid prices, adding to the resentment, god history repeats over and over.
Meanwhile the pollies in Canberra, sit in their ivory towers, congratulating each other while the press secretary writes up a grand speech for the polly to parrot.

 

[wayneL]

But... But... But... The Voice will fix everything?

 

[sptrawler]

But... But... But... The Voice will fix everything?

No the voice will get the same result, as the Rudd apology, sweet FA.
If they wanted to try and turn things around, Alice Springs was the perfect spring board, but as usual Canberra didn't even get to the change room. ?

 

[sptrawler]

The show must go on, the cheer squad seems to be remarkably quiet.

Bruce Lehrmann files defamation proceedings against Ten, News Corp

The former federal Liberal political staffer filed proceedings in the Federal Court on Tuesday afternoon.

www.theage.com.au

 

[sptrawler]

The show must go on, the cheer squad seems to be remarkably quiet.

Bruce Lehrmann files defamation proceedings against Ten, News Corp

The former federal Liberal political staffer filed proceedings in the Federal Court on Tuesday afternoon.

www.theage.com.au

Interesting times ahead IMO.

Wilkinson, Maiden named in Lehrmann defamation lawsuit

Former federal Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann needs the Federal Court to extend a one-year limitation period to sue over interviews with Brittany Higgins in 2021.

www.smh.com.au

Former federal Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has named veteran journalists Lisa Wilkinson and Samantha Maiden as respondents to his defamation lawsuits against Network Ten and News Corp over their reporting of rape allegations made by his former colleague Brittany Higgins.
Lawyers for Lehrmann filed Federal Court statements of claim in both cases on Tuesday afternoon. They have asked the court to extend a one-year limitation period for bringing a claim because the interviews at the centre of the lawsuits, marking Higgins’ first comments in public, were published almost two years ago in February 2021.